Maude’s Reserve East Block Riesling has scooped the prestigious Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy at the National Wine Awards of Aotearoa (NWAA) 2022. 

It’s the latest of many accolades for the local, family-run vineyard, which was started by Dawn and Terry Wilson in 1994 and continues to be run with daughter Sarah-Kate and son-in-law Dan Dineen winemaking.

The Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy recognises a wine which has shown excellence over ten years, NWAA convenor Jo Gear told the Wānaka App, adding that it rewards wines that have developed “grace and complexity over time”.

“It is a very special award,” she said.

The riesling vines, located at the Mt Maude vineyard in the sunny and sheltered Maungawera Valley, were planted close to 30 years ago by Dawn and Terry and they are now “lovely mature vines,” Sarah-Kate said. 

Winegrower Sarah-Kate Dineen (centre) with NWAA host Anne Scott and presenter Jesse Mulligan at the awards gala in Auckland. PHOTO: Supplied

“The riesling vines are picked in two parcels, purely for their different flavour attributes, due to the vine’s aspect, clone and soil type.”

On the western side of the Mt Maude homestead grow the vines that make the Dry Riesling, which Sarah-Kate said was “restrained and tight in structure with its aromatics of talc and wet slate”. 

“Across the other side of the house comes East Block Riesling, being more sheltered and receiving the first of the morning light, the grapes ripen earlier,” she said. 

“The flavours are more fruit forward and in the green apple and orange blossom spectrum, ideal for our sweeter, lower alcohol East Block Riesling.”

Sarah-Kate Dineen said the Maude team was “delighted” that the Maude East Block Riesling had been recognised in this way.

“To win the Heritage Rose Bowl Trophy, which recognises the style, quality, consistency and age-ability of a wine across a decade is the ultimate to us.” 

The National Wine Awards of Aotearoa is the country’s newest and only national wine show.  

Winners celebrated at an awards gala on Sunday October 6 at Auckland’s Hilton Hotel.